Hydrangea plant named ‘INH-HYD-6’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct  Hydrangea  cultivar named ‘INH-HYD- 6’ is disclosed, characterized by purple/bronze stems and young foliage, large inflorescence with pink sepals with darker pink veins. The new variety is a  Hydrangea , suitable for outdoor container and garden purposes.

Latin name of the genus and species: Hydrangea hybrid.

Variety denomination: ‘INH-HYD-6’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The new cultivar is a product of a planned Hydrangea breeding program, from the Institut National d'Horticulture located in Angers, France. The new variety was discovered as a seedling from the planned breeding program. This seedling is a result from a crossing made in July 2001 of the female parent, an undistributed proprietary variety referred to as ‘347 ’ with the male parent, an undistributed proprietary variety referred to as ‘346.’ It was selected by Claudie Lambert and Helene Bertrand during the Summer of 2005 in at the research facility in Angers, France.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar ‘INH-HYD-6’ by vegetative cuttings was first performed in Angers, France at the Institut Nation d'Horticulture, during the Spring of 2006 and has shown that the unique features of this cultivar are stable and reproduced true to type on successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar ‘INH-HYD-6’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, day length, and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘INH-HYD-6’ These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘INH-HYD-6’ as a new and distinct Hydrangea cultivar:

-   -   1. Pubescent leaves with red veins on the underside.     -   2. Unique coloration of the stems; young stems are red/purple,         turning bronze with age.     -   3. Corymbiform inflorescence with numerous large, sterile         flowers.     -   4. Large sterile flowers with petaloid sepals colored pink, with         darker pink veins     -   5. Sterile, small central flowers.

PARENTAL COMPARISON

Plants of the new cultivar ‘INH-HYD-6’ are similar to plants of the female parent, ‘347,’ in most horticultural characteristics, however, plants of the new cultivar ‘INH-HYD-6’ have longer lateral branches, shorter petioles, different colored sepals and a larger quantity of flowers. Additionally, plants of the new cultivar are sterile.

‘INH-HYD-6’ differs from the male parent ‘346’ in foliage and stem color. Foliage and stems of the new cultivar are much darker than the male parent. Additionally, plants of the new variety have more flowers, and are sterile.

COMMERCIAL COMPARISON

Plants of the new cultivar ‘INH-HYD-6’ are similar to plants of the commercial variety Hydrangea aspera ‘Macrophylla’ unpatented in the United States, in many characteristics important to commercial growers. However, plants of the new cultivar ‘INH-HYD-6’ differ in foliage and stem color, inflorescence colors in the new cultivar are different and the new cultivar has a larger quantity of flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying photograph in FIG. 1 illustrates in full color a typical blooming plant of ‘INH-HYD-6’ grown outdoors in Angers, France. Age of the plant in the photograph is approximately 2 years. The photograph was taken using conventional techniques and although colors may appear different from actual colors due to light reflectance it is as accurate as possible by conventional photographic techniques.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. The following observations and measurements describe ‘INH-HYD-6’ plants grown outdoors, in half shade, in Angers, France from October 2006 to October 2008. The growing temperature ranged from 10° C. to 17° C. at night to 12° C. to 35° C. during the day. Measurements and numerical values represent averages of typical flowering types.

-   Botanical classification: Hydrangea hybrid cultivar ‘INH-HYD-6.’

PROPAGATION

-   Time to rooting: 15 to 20 days at approximately 20° C. -   Root description: Fine, fibrous, white.

PLANT

-   Age of the plant described: Approximately 2 years. -   Growth habit: Shrub -   Height: Approximately 60 cm. -   Plant spread: Approximately 70 cm. -   Growth rate: 30 cm/year -   Branching characteristics: Dense, spreading -   Length of lateral branches: Average 27 cm. -   Number of lateral branches: Average 37 cm. -   Diameter of lateral branches: Average 0.4 cm. -   Pinching required: No.     -   -   Details of pinching.—No matter -   Lateral branch shape: Slightly flexible -   Lateral branch strength: Moderate -   Lateral branch color: Approximately RHS: Greyed-Orange 177B with     light stripe Greyed-Orange 165B -   Other stem or plant characteristics:     -   -   Lenticel length.—Approximately 0.1 cm.         -   Lenticel width.—Approximately 0.05 cm.         -   Lenticel color.—About RHS Orange-White 159A         -   Growing stems.—Red-purple Greyed-Purple 185B         -   Stem pubescence.—Yes -   Number of leaves per lateral branch: Average 10 -   Age of plant described: Approximately 2 years

FOLIAGE

-   Leaf:     -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite.         -   Compound or single.—Single.         -   Average length.—10 cm.         -   Average width.—6 cm.         -   Shape of blade.—Ovate to elliptic.         -   Apex.—Acuminate.         -   Base.—Rounded or attenuate.         -   Attachment.—Opposite.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Texture of top surface.—Rough.         -   Texture of bottom surface.—Rough.         -   Leaf internode length.—Average 5 cm.         -   Color.—Young foliage upper side: Near R.H.S. Green 137C             Young foliage under side: Near R.H.S. Green 138C Mature             foliage upper side: Near R.H.S. Green 137A Mature foliage             under side: Near R.H.S. Green 138C.         -   Venation.—Type: pinnate Venation color upper side: Near             R.H.S. primary veins Greyed-Purple 186C, secondary veins             Greyed-Yellow 160C Venation color under side: Near R.H.S.             Greyed-Purple 185C.         -   Durability of foliage to stresses.—Moderate. -   Petiole:     -   -   Average length.—3.3 cm.         -   Diameter.—Average 0.25 cm.         -   Color.—Near R.H.S. Greyed Purple 185B.

FLOWER

-   Bloom period:     -   -   Natural season.—July and August.         -   Greenhouse production.—Approximately 4 weeks for flower             induction. -   Inflorescence:     -   -   Arrangement.—Corymbiform.         -   Type.—Between Mophead and Lacecap. Not completely mophead,             but with more sterile flowers than lacecap.         -   Height.—Average 11 cm.         -   Width.—Average 19 cm.         -   Quantity of flowers per inflorescence.—Fertile flowers,             approximately 400 Sterile Flowers, approximately 80. -   Bud:     -   -   Bud shape.—Globular.         -   Bud length.—Approximately 0.2 cm.         -   Bud diameter.—Approximately 0.1 cm.         -   Bud color: Near R.H.S. Red-Purple 69A Base/calyx: Near             R.H.S. Greyed-Green 193B. -   Flower:     -   -   Shape.—Rotate.         -   Facing direction.—Upright.         -   Quantity of flowers per lateral stem.—About 10 sterile and             50 fertile.         -   Quantity of flowers and buds per plant.—Approximately 20             inflorescences or 9600 flowers.         -   Diameter of entire flower.—Fertile: Approximately 0.2 cm.             Sterile: Approximately 3.5 cm.         -   Depth of flower.—Fertile: Approximately 0.1 cm. Sterile:             Approximately 0.1 cm.         -   Rate of opening.—Individual flowers: Fully open             approximately 2 days from the bud stage. Whole Plant:             Approximately 60% of flowers open at once.         -   Flower longevity on plant.—Fertile flowers:Approximately 2             days. Sterile flowers: Approximately 21 days.         -   Persistent or self-cleaning.—Persistent.         -   Fragrance.—Yes, light. -   Petals:     -   -   Length of petal.—Approximately 0.1 cm.         -   Width of petal.—Approximately 0.05 cm.         -   Apex.—Acute.         -   Shape of petal.—Elliptic.         -   Petal margin.—Entire.         -   Petal arrangement.—Campanulate.         -   Petal number.—4 to 5.         -   Petals fused.—No.         -   Petal appearance.—Dull.         -   Petal texture.—Fleshy. -   Color:     -   -   Upper surface at first opening.—Near RHS Red-Purple 69B.         -   Upper surface at maturity.—Near RHS Red-Purple 69B.         -   Upper surface at fading.—Near RHS Red-Purple 69D.         -   Under surface at first opening.—Near RHS Red-Purple 69A.         -   Under surface at maturity.—Near RHS Red-Purple 69A.         -   Under surface at fading.—Near RHS Red-Purple 69D. -   Petaloids: Petaloid sepals on sterile flowers

CALYX Fertile flowers Sterile flowers Present: yes yes Shape: campanulate rotate Length: Approximately 0.1 cm. 1.6 cm Diameter: Approximately 0.1 cm 3.5 cm SEPAL Fertile(all parts present) flowers Sterile flowers Number: 4 4 to 5 Sepal Appearance: glabrous glabrous Sepal Arrangement: one whorl one whorl Sepal length: Approximately 0.05 cm. 1.6 cm Sepal width: Approximately 0.05 cm. 1.5 cm Sepal shape: triangular rounded to broad ovate Base: broad attenuate Apex shape: acute rounded to acute Margin: entire entire Color: Near R.H.S. Greyed-Green193B Red-Purple 62C with darker veins

PEDUNCLE

-   Length: Average 4 cm. -   Diameter: Approximately 0.15 cm -   Angle: 45° -   Strength: Straight -   Color: Near R.H.S. Greyed-Green 193B

PEDICEL

-   Present: Yes -   Length: Average 1.5 cm. -   Diameter: Approximately 0.1 cm. -   Angle: Approximately 45 degrees. -   Strength: Straight -   Color: Near RHS Red-Purple 63D

REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS

-   -   -   Number of pistils per flower.—2 to 3.         -   Pistil Length.—Approximately 0.1 cm.         -   Stigma shape.—Fan-shaped.         -   Stigma color.—Near RHS White N155D.         -   Style color.—Near RHS White N155D.         -   Style length.—Approximately 0.05 cm.         -   Ovary color.—Near RHS White N155D.         -   Stamens quantity.—12.         -   Anther shape.—Folded, atrophied.         -   Anther size.—0.05 cm.         -   Anther color.—Near RHS Purple 75A.         -   Pollen quantity.—No pollen.

OTHER CHARACTERISTICS

-   Fruit/seed production: No fruits produced. -   Disease resistance: Neither resistance nor susceptibility to     diseases or pests has been observed in this variety. -   Drought tolerance and cold tolerance: Semi-hardy perennial, tolerant     of some high temperatures. Upper limit of temperature tolerance has     not been observed, however, known to tolerate temperatures of at     least up to 35° C. Lower limits have also not been observed,     however, observed hardy to −10° C. No drought tolerance has been     observed. 

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Hydrangea plant named ‘INH-HYD-6’ as herein illustrated and described. 